Newspaper stuffing machine



June '18 1957 J- MITCHELL .2,796,255

NEWSPAPER STUEFING MACHINE 'E w Filed July 27, 1955 4 Smets-,sheet 1avro els/2 v5,

J. MrrcHELl.

NEWSPAPER STUFFING MACHINE June 18, 1957 4 She'ets-.Sheet 2 Filed July27,. 1955 INVENTOR. J-hn m rf'chen J. MITCHELL NEWSPAPER STUFFINGMACHINE June 18, 1957 Filed July 27, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 1a ze 14g34360124 24Mv INVENITOR.

Ugh" m BY A 'r TOE/v5 YS June 1,8 1,957V J. MITCHELL. 4. I 2,796,255

` NEWSPAPER 'STUFFINQ MACHINE Filed July 27, 1955 4 Sheets-Sheevt 4 INVEN TOR.

@TTORNE YS United States NEWSPAPER STUFFING MACHINE Application July Z7,1955, Serial No., 524,786

6 Claims. (Cl. 270-57) The invention relates to a paper stuiling machineadapted to assemble the folded sections of a newspaper, and moreparticularly to an impaler mechanism which operates to hold open thejacket section of the newspaper so as to permit the insertion therein ofthe inner sections.

The present invention constitutes an improvement upon stuffing machinesof the type disclosed in the patent to Schweizer 2,634,971, issued April14, 1953. The features of the invention are however applicable to otherforms of newspaper stuffing machines.

In a machine of the type described in said patent, newspaper sections tobe stuffed are manually staked in the hoppers of their respectivefeeding stations, from which point they are automatically fed intorotary pockets below. Beneath the several feeding stations which remainstationary, there is a rotor consisting of an endless series of V-shapedpockets. The pockets are each disposed in an upright position and aredouble-acting to close and open alternately at top and bottom. Eachpocket receives the desired number of sections from the various feedingstations, thereby assembling one complete stuffed newspaper.

The cover section or jacket is assigned to the lirst feeding station andis the rst section to be dropped into a pocket. Vacuum suction means onthe pocket act to open the outside jacket so that the remaining sectionsmay be fed therein. The inside sections are assigned to the otherfeeding stations in the order of their assembly and in that sequencefall into the outside jacket lying within the pockets. When the stutiingoperation is completed, the pocket bottom opens and the assemblednewspaper is delivered onto a conveyer.

The considerable bulk of the modern newspaper is such that suction meansin some instances are neither adequate nor reliable as an expedient forholding open the jacket section during the assembly operation. This `isespecially true of Sunday editions of certain metropolitan newspaperswhose jacket section alone may in-some instances exceed 90 pages. Inpractice, when the suction fails to hold the jacket open, the innersections cannot be inserted and a jam occurs in the pocket whichnecessitates shutting down the stuffing machine. Consequently, thenewspapers must then be assembled by hand and the resultant expense andloss of time is a serious drawback in a competitive eld Where time is ofthe essence.

Accordingly, it is the principal object of the presen-t invention toprovide an improved stufling machine wherein the jacket section issecurely held open in the pocket to permit insertion of the innersections of the newspapers.

More specifically it is an object of the invention to provide amechanism adapted to cooperate with the pocket of a stuing machine so asto impale one-half of the jacket section and to hold said section opento facilitate insertion of the inner sections.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an impaler mechanismwherein a pair of needles are injected into one-half of the jacketsection at intersecting angles whereby said section is prevented fromclosing until Said.V

" arent needles are withdrawn. The nature of the invention is such thatthe impaled half of the jacket section is held against one wall of thepocket and cannot be removed therefrom as long as the needles areinserted therein.

Yet another object of the invention is to provide a cam actuated impalermechanism of efficient and sturdy design which is reliable in operation.

For a better understanding of the invention, as well as other objectsand further features thereof, reference is had to the following detaileddescription to be read in connection with the accompanying drawing,wherein like elements in the several views are identified by likereference numerals.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 shows a typical newspaper jacket section in perspective view.

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of a stuiing machine showing thegeneral arrangement of the mechanism of the machine.

Fig. 3 is a partial plan View of the machine showing the radial pocketsand the associated cam for operating an impaler mechanism in accordancewith the invention.

Fig. 4 is an elevational View of the leading wall of the pocket and theimpaler mechanism mounted thereon.

Fig. 5 is a section taken along lines 5--5 in Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a section taken along lines 6-6 in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a section taken along lines 7-7 in Fig. 6.

Fig. 8 is an elevational view of diagrammatic character showing vesuccessive positions through which each pocket passes in traversing itsorbit.

In the drawings, the mechanical elements are designated by referencenumerals which are identical with those applied to the correspondingelements in the Patent 2,634,971 when such correspondence exists. Forpurposes of clarity and simplicity, the description and drawings in thepresent application have been restricted as much as is feasible to thatportion of the machine constituting an improvement over the mechanism inthe cited patent.

For convenience, lettering is used for the newspaper component sections.Fig. 1 herein shows separately a complete jacket section A, and thisjacket section and an inner section B appear in Fig. 8 wherein thesections are acted upon. Jacket section A has a closed lower edge A',which is really the final refold, made after the section has beencompleted. It rests edgewise in the open V- pocket into which it is fed.The jacket has an openable upper edge A2, at which the upper portions ofthe deposited section meet, this edge A2 being closed during infeed butlater being opened into V-form to receive the inner sections.

The two halves of each jacket as folded are referred to as the leadinghalf A3 and the trailing half A4, since these parts advance facewise asthe radially arranged pockets travel clockwise with the conveyingmembers of the machine. The so-called backfold A5 consists of the fulllength of the back edge of the jacket prior to the refolding of thesection about its lower closed edge A. The jacket section has to beopened in V-form in the pocket, before inner sections are deposited, andfor this operation an l upper portion A6 is utilized, portion A6 being asmall area near the upper edge of the leading jacket half A3. By theimpaler mechanism, in accordance with the invention, portion A6 is heldagainst the leading wall of the pocket, while the trailing half of thesection swings away to create the receiving space for the innersections.

As shown in Fig. 2, the general frame of the machine comprises anelevated central member or headfrarne 40 which is provided with an upperrim 4l formed with flat sides, in this case twelve in number, eight ofthese giving support to the inner ends of the radial frame rods 29. Theheadframe has downwardly sloping side braces 42 inter- 3 connecting theupper rim 41 with a flanged bottom member 43.

Headframe 40 is mounted atop a central stationary post 45, which alsoconstitutes a vertical axle for the rotor hollow hub 52 consisting ofconnected inner and. outer concentric walls forming the centralportionof the rotor 51. At its top end the post 4S has a shoulder uponwhich the bottom member 43 of the headframe is clamped as by a threadednut. Below, the uprightaxle 45 is set down into a foot member or shortupright socket 49fbolted down upon the general base 50, upon whichthetall standards 30 and other fixed parts also are supported. The pockets89 are circumferentially arranged at the periphery ofthe rotor, thepockets being of the \lv type, each having a.leading wall 90 and atrailing wall 91.

For feeding newspaper sections into the successive pockets 89 a hopper20 is provided positioned .aboveeach infeeding-,station around theorbital-path of travel; The sections of the newspaper preferably standedgewise in the hopper and in succession are detached, extracted andguided downwardly into the respective pockets, thejacket section beingfirst supplied to each pocket and therein opened into lV-shape toreceive the inner sections.

Each hopper 20, as shown in Fig. 8, has a bottom wall 21 and thereabovea front wall 22with a gapbetween them for the extraction ofthe sections.A.A suckery device swings frontwardly the lower edge'of each sectionwhich thereupon is engaged by a gripper 32 carried on an extracting drum25 which, as best seen in Fig. 2, is an open structure of several disksrotatable near the hopperexit. A driven shaft 26 carries the extractingdrum 25 and turns in bearings carried by hangers 20 supported by an overhead pair of radial frame rods 29 each supported in turn by atallstandard 30. When each section is released .by an outfeeding gripper itis directed by a chute 39 into the top-open pocket 89 beneath, travelingin time with the extraction and deposit of the sections.

At its inner end, each drum shaft 245 as shown in Fig. 2V

conveys the drive to the rotor. A pinion 79 meshes withv gear 78 and isfast on a radial drive shaft S0 turning in a bearing 81. Shaft 80 iscoupled to the siow element of a speed reducer 83, the fast Vor inputshaft of which is driven as through a belt 84 from a drivemotor S whichmay be the source of substantially all actuations and i timing of themechanisms of the machine. These driving means and actuating connectionsare illustrative only, as various substitutes are mechanicallyavailablefor transmission of motions with coordinated timing.

After each of the successive products or' assemblages has beenaccumulated in each pocket, it isl dumped ordischarged by the pocket tointermediate transmitting or delivery means which deposits them inoverlapping relation upon a general outfeeding conveyor 121, as anendless belt'or bands, passing around guide pulleys or rollers 122.

The series of pockets are secured radially to the periphery ofrotor 51.For each pocket there is provided a pocketbase rod 815 outstanding fromthe rotor rim. Thus there may be sixty of these radial rods 8S, eachgiving support to one of the pockets 9, the rod serving as. an axle forcertain pocket movements. Each pocket is comprised of leading wall 90fixed to the base rod 88 and the trailing wall 91 swingable to and fromthe leading wall for the top opening and closing of the pocket. Thefixedv leading wall 90 is secured as by welding in a nearly uprightposition on rod SS but preferably with a slight rearward slant tofacilitate the falling away of the trailing. half of the jacket when thetrailing wall is swung away to openl the jacket.

Fig. 8 indicates the cycle ofY pocket wallmovements from positions l to4 in the handling of the sections for each assemblage. In its initialposition 1, each pocket is closed at its bottom near the base rod 88 butis open at the top, providing the pocket space to receive irst thejacket A and later the inner sections B. Following the deposit of thejacket A, the trailing wall 91 is first swung upward to the leading wallas shown at position 2 initially to bring the jacket A to its uprightposition. By means of the impaler mechanism to be later described, theleading half of the jacket is held againstrthe leading wall while itstrailing half is swung away with the trailing wall, leaving the jacketspace open to receive the remaining sections as shown at position 3. Atposition 4, the trailing pocket wall is tilted for the bottom opening ofthe pocket, this operating at the outfeeding position and releasing theassemblage to drop or dump to the delivery and other devices below.

Each pocket has to do double acting, so that while initially open attopand closed at bottom it may then be closed at top followed by openingat top, these motions serving to open up the jacket section, while at alater stage the top-open pocket is shifted so as to open at the bottomand thereafter, close at the bottom in readiness for a new cycle. Thetop opening and closing are by swing an oscillating frame orwall-carrier about a low axis, upon which frame the trailing wall ispivoted about midway of its height to receive tilting movements for thebottom opening and closing about a horizontal axis, which may beparallel to the rod or axle 88. These swinging and tilting actions ofthe trailing wall are brought about in proper sequence by cam meansoperated by reason of the travel of the respective pockets around thegeneral orbit.

The swinging frame which carries the trailing Wall 91 of each pocket,while allowing its tilting, is a built up carrier swingable about thelow base rod 83 which is fixed on the rotor and acts as an axle for theswing. For rigidity there is a higher rod or frame member 205 parallelto rod 88 and connected tightly to an arm 206 whose hub can turn looselyon lower rod 88. The tiltingv mounting of the trailing wall 91 on theswinging frame top -rod 205 will be described; but first the actuatingconnections for swinging the framefor the top opening and closing.

Forming a rocklever with arm 206 is an extension drop arm or tail 114having a follower or cam roller 117 cooperating with a non-travelingactuating means, such as aV fixed cam 118, andtimed to swing the carrierrod 205 as the pocket advances, rst to close and then open the pocket.As arranged, gravity may tend to open the pocket, or a spring 115 may beadded for this purpose. The low cam 118 is preferably of only shortlength along the travel line. It affords only the single functionmofswinging the carrier frame. The tendency of the frame or carrier is toswing reversely to the travel, thus to open thepockehwhereas the cam 118acts to overcome this tendency, at and near position 2, so as to swingthe frame forwardly and close the pocket. When the follower 117 is notengaged upon the elevated contour of cam 118, means are required to stopand limit the opening swing; and for this purpose the rotor carries, foreachpocket, a short upstanding post 211, its top end having-a stoprsurface to be met by a `Contact surface von the frame. TheV stop surfaceisv in the form of an adjustablev screw 212 preferably projecting fromthe rear side of the swinging arm 206 of the frame.

To effect tilting of trailing wall 91, there is provided about midway ofthe height of the wall 91 a rockaxle 214 affording the tiltingmovements, the trailing Wall 91 being mounted tightly thereon. Thus, byrocking the axle 214 the trailing wall can be tilted fromits inclinedposition No. 3 to its upright position No. 4, causing the dumping of theproduct. To rock the axle 214 and wall 91 in the desired manner, theaxle is provided with an'upwardly extending rockarrn 217, which maystand at an initial slant of` about 45, as seen at position-1,but-whichmay* arcanes be swung downwardly under timed action, preferablyby `a fixed cam. For this purpose at its outer or free end, the `rockarm217 carries a cam follower 218, which normally is unengaged, but whichwhen the tilting action is to occur becomes engaged, by the travel ofthe pocket, with the underside of a xed cam 220 which may be anextension of the hangers 28 at the delivery station of the machine. Thecam 220 is so positioned that as each pocket travels its rockarm 217presents its follower 218 toan inclined surface which thrusts thefollower downwardly and tilts the rockarm and axle connterclockwise, v

thus tilting the pocket wall 91 from its bottom-closed position to itsbottom-open position, with a return movement when the follower runs offfrom the cam contour.

The actions of the low and high cams 118 and 220, respectively, will nowbe reviewed with respect to posiv tions 1 to 4 in Fig. 8. At position lthe pocket, open at top but closed at bottom, receives the jacketsection deposited from hopper 20 above. Neither cam is in effect, theswinging frame and the tilting wall being positioned by their stops 211and 205. At position 2 there is no infeed from the hopper, but theinterval between positions l and 3 is used for opening the jacketsection to receive the inner sections. Thus the cam 118 rises to a peakand thence drops to normal, the intermediate mechanism causing thetrailing wall to swing bodily to the leading wall, closing the pocket,followed by return to open position, the impaler means to be describedcausing the jacket to open in the pocket and remain so up to thedischarge position. Therebeyond, the cam 118 tapers `away from its peakand may be dis-continued therebeyond around to a point beyond position lfor repetition of action. In each of the successive positions 3 an innersection B is fed from above into the opened jacket. The number of innersections and the hoppers therefor are of course determined by the needs`of a particular newspaper.

Each pocket beyond the position 3 comes to position 4, which is thedelivery position, wherein cam 220, and not cam 218, brings about theoperations, the trailing wall 91 being first tilted from its inclinedposture of position 3 to its tilted upright posture of position 4, thusdumping the complete assemblage, and the cam 220 thereupon restoring thewall from its tilted to its original inclined position. As with the lowcam 118, the high cam 220 is of open structure, the follower beingspring-pressed, and in each ycase the follower rides olf the reverseincline of the cam at a point beyond which the cam may be terminated,leaving the parts in their spring-pressed stopped position. Each of theseveral pockets goes through the above-described cycle in each completeturn of the rotor, delivering the same number of complete assemblies perrotation, all of the pocket sections being under the control of the lowand high cams 118 and 220. The delivery of the stued newspapers from thesuccessive pockets, traveling in rapid succession through the deliveryposition 4, may thus be caused by gravity directly downward to thereceiving and transferring means therebelovv, leading eventually to theoutfeeding lconveyor or band 121, traveling in this case leftward at anadjustable speed such as to cause the assemblages to be laid inyoverlapping relation. A more detailed description of this operation andof the mechanisms therefor may be found in the above-noted Schweizerpatent.

Referring now to Fig. 4, the leadingwall 90 of the pocket is separatelyillustrated, the wall structure having installed thereon the impalermeans in accordance with the invention. The reference numerals, appliedto the impaler means in Fig. 4, as well as in Figs. 3, 5, 6 and 7, donot correspond to those in the Schweizer patent since equivalentstructure is not found therein.

The impaler means are constituted by an iinpaler mechanism, generallydesignated by numeral 10 and a camoperated actuator therefor, generallydesignated by numeral 11. Impaler mechanism 10 comprises a solidrectangular block 12 having a bore 13 extending longitudinally thereinfrom one end of the block to the other. Slidably received within bore 13and projecting therefrom at either end is a rod 14 having a rack portion14a. One end of rod 14 terminates in a dome-shaped button 15, and theother end in a circular stop element 16. Interposed between button 15and the related end wall of the block is a helical spring 17 which urgesthe head end of the rod outwardly to an extent limited by stop 16.

Extending transversely through block 12 from one side of the block tothe other is a relatively large circular bore 18, and mounted coaxiallytherein is a shaft 19 on which a pinion 23 is freely rotatable. One endof shaft 19 has a circular flange 24 formed thereon, the flange having aportion 24a of reduced diameter which nestles within one end of bore 18.Enclosing the other end of bore 18 is a circular cap 26 through which ascrew 27 is centrally inserted threadably to engage the end of shaft 19.Pinion 23 intermeshes with rack 14a, whereby a sliding motion of rod 14effects a rotary movement of the pinion.

Extending between the top and bottom surfaces of block 12 and passingthrough bore 18 are two bores 33 and 34. Bores 33 and 34 are inclinedrelative to said surfaces and have equal and opposite angular positions,whereby said bores lie in intersecting planes. Slidably disposed inbores 33 and 34 are pistons 35 and 36, respectively, having rackportions 35a and 36a which are engageable with pinion 23. Rack 35aengages the upper surface of the pinion while rack 36a engages the undersurface thereof. Secured to the lower ends of the pistons and projectingtherefrom are needles 37 and 38. As best seen in Figs. 5 and 7, thearrangement of the needles in the impaler is such that when the rod 14is unactuated, the needles project slightly from the wall of the blockbut to an extent insucient to pass through the leading wall of thepocket. When, however, the rod is depressed by the actuator 11, the twoneedles pass through the leading wall and pierce the adjacent half ofthe newspaper jacket section A at opposing angles, whereby the jackethalf is impaled against the wall until such time as the needles areretracted.

The actuator 11 for the impaler is constituted by a plunger 39 lslidablysupported in two spaced bearing brackets 44 and 46 attached to leadingWall 90. The plunger is in axial alignment with rod 14 of the impalerand is provided at one end with an adjustable projection 41 which isengageable with the button 15 on the rod 14. Secured to the other end ofplunger 39 is a follower 48 which is adapted to ride on an arcuate cam52 which, as shown in Fig. 3, is mounted on a xed bracket 53 adjacentthe periphery of the rotor of the stufling machine. Thus when thefollower 48 engages the cam 52 and rides thereon, the plunger 39 isshifted axially to depress rod 14 of the impaler thereby ejecting theneedles from the block to impale the leading half of the newspapersection against the pocket wall. When the follower is disengaged fromthe cam, the spring 17 on the rod urges the rod outwardly and pushes theplunger in the same direction, thereby retracting the needles andreleasing the jacket.

As shown in Fig. 3, the leading wall of the pocket is provided with arubber pad 53EL which, in the absence of a jacket section, serves as acushion for the needles to prevent breakage thereof.

The pockets are also provided with a holding device or damper adapted toreach over the top of the leading wall @il and to press upon the jackethalf to hold it to the wall. The device comprises a rockshaft 229 onwhich a clamping finger 230 is mounted. As shown in Eig. 8, in positionl, the clamper is retracted upwardly. At position 2, after the halfjacket has been impaled, the clamper 230 comes into play, being rockeddownwardly to over-reach the pocket wall and press the half jacketagainst it. This condition continues to and beyond position 3 at whichthe pocket has ybeen widely opened and the inner sections are beingdeposited therein. Before reaching the discharge position 4, the clamper230 has been re-v tracted inpreparation for the release anddescent ofthe assembled newspaper` from the pocket.

While there has been shown what are considered tobepreferredfembodiments of a newspaper stufng machine, it will beappreciated that many changes and-'modifications may be made thereinwithout departing from the essential spirit of the invention. It isintended therefore in the appended claims to coverall such changes andrnodicationsY as fall within the true scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. In a newspaper stufng machine including a series of V-shaped pocketshaving two opposing walls and arrangedv to travel throughv successivestations and at a jacket stationto receiveA and carry along a jacketsection, apparatus to secure one-half of said jacket section to theadjacent walliof said pocket to hold open said jacket for the insertionof inner sections, said apparatus comprising an impaler mechanismmounted on the outer surface of said related wall and provided with apair of retractable needles adapted to pass throughsaid wall and topierce said half section and thereby impale same against said wall, saidneedles having opposing inclinations relative to said wall, and cammeans to actuate said impaler mechanism inthe course of the travel ofsaid pocket alternately to impale said half and to release same.

2. A newspaper stuiiing machine having an orbitally advancing carriagesupporting an endless series of normally top-open V-shaped radial stulngpockets arranged to travel through successive stations and at the jacketstation to receive and carry along a jacket section and therebeyondinner sections within the jacket; means to open into V-shape eachreceived jacket section in advance of receiving inner sections stuffedthereinto and to retain thus the jacket until the stufng is completed;the leading7 and trailingopposite walls of each pocket being relativelyshiftable normally to maintain the pocket topopen and bottom-shut duringreception of sections and therebeyond at the delivery station to openthe pocket bottom for dumping the stuffed assemblage; said means to openeach received jacket section and to hold the jacket open including animpaling mechanism mounted on one of said pocket walls and provided witha pair of needles adapted to pierce the related half of said jacket,said needles being inclined at opposing angles relative to said wall,and means simultaneously to eject or retract said needles.

3. A newspaper stufling machine having a rotatively advancing carriagesupporting an endless series of upstanding, normally top-open, radiallydisposed V-shaped `stuiing pockets arranged to travel through successivestations and at the jacket sta-tion each to receive a jacket section andtherebeyond inner sections at other stations; means to open into V-shapethe received jacket section in each pocket in advance of receiving innersections thereinto and to retain thus the jacket until the stufng iscompleted; the leading and trailing walls of each pocket beingrelatively swingable normally to maintain the pocket top-open `andlbottom-shut during reception of sections, and therebeyond at thedelivery station to open the pocket bottom for dumping the stulfedproduct; and an Linderneath outfeeding conveyor operable to receive andcarry away the successive stuffed products; said machine beingcharacterized in that each V-pockct has a leading wall and Va trailingWall which latter is mounted on an upstanding frame fitted to swingbodily with the trailing walllabout a low radial axis located at or nearthe V-point of the pocket, and the trailing wall being litted also tothe frame to tilt bodily about a mid-axis on the frame, alovvrxed camwith a cam connection to cause the timed swing'of the frame and trailingwall, and a separate high fixed `cam with :a cam connection to cause thetilt of the trailing wall, these lever-swing and wall-tilt movementsbpmgzcaused respectively. by said low and high cams -by reason. of thetravel of eachpocketgsaid camsbeing arranged andY timed for, the low.cam tocause the topclosing and then. opening of each pocket .afterreceiving.

means -of a rocking axle, which latter has a rockarm with.

follower cooperating withthe high cam for the tilting action with a stopmember on the frame determining the normally retracted bottom-closingposition of the tilting wall, and a spring means holding such rockarmand wall` in such stop-determining normal position, said means to openinto V-shape the received jacket section in each pocket in advance ofreceiving inner jackets comprising an impaling mechanism mountedon theleading wall of said pocket and including a pair of needles adapted topierce the leading half of said jacket section, said needles beingsimultaneously retractable or extensible in oppositely inclined paths,and cam-actuated means to alternately effect injection and retraction ofsaid needles in the course of jacket advance.

4. An impaler mechanism comprising a rectangular block havingalongitudinalbore extending from one end thereof to t-he other, atransverse bore passing through said longitudinal bore, anda pair ofinclined bores extending from-the top-surface to the bottom surface ofsaid block .and lying in intersecting planes, said inclined borespassing through said transverse bore, a pinion freely rotatable in saidtransverse bore, al rod slidable within said longitudinal bore andhaving a rack portion intermeshing with said pinion, and a pair ofreciprocable pistons slidable within said inclined bores-and having rackportions intermeshing with said pinion, said pistons being provided withneedles projecting axially from corresponding ends thereof.

5. An impaler mechanism comprising a rectangular block having alongitudinal bore extending from one end thereof to the other, yatransverse bore passing through said longitudinal bore, and a pair ofinclined bores ex tending from the top surface to the bottom surface ofsaid block and lying in intersecting planes, said inclined bores passingthrough said transverse bore, a pinion freely rotatable in saidtransverse bore, a rod slidable within said longitudinal bore and havinga rack portion intermeshing with said pinion, and a pair of reciprocablepistons slidable within said inclined bores and having rack portionsinter-meshing with sai-d pinion, said .pistons being provided withneedles projecting axially from corresponding ends thereof, said rodhaving a length exceedingv the length of said block and having a buttonat one end 'and a stop at the other, and `a helical spring about saidrod interposed between said button and the wall of said block wherebysaid rod is depressible to rotate said pinion.

6. In a stuing machine including a pocket having a wall, impaling meansmounted on said wall comprising an impaling mechanism comprising arectangular block having a longitudinal bore extending from one endthereof to the other, a transverse bore passing through saidlongitudinal bore, and a pair of inclined bores extending from the topsurface to the bottom surface of said block and lying in intersectingplanes, said inclined bores passing through said transverse bore, apinion freely rotatable in said transverse bore, a rod slidable withinsaid longitudinal ybore and having a rack portion intermeshing with saidpinion, and a pair of reciprocable pistons slidable within said inclinedbores and having rack portions intermes'hing with said pinion, saidpistons being provided with needles projecting axially fromcorresponding ends thereof, said rod having a length exceeding thelength of said block and having a'button at one end and a stop at4 theother, and a helical spring 'about said rod interposed.1between saidlbuttonand the wall of said- References Cited in the file of this patentUNITED STATES PATENTS yblock whereby said rod is depressible to rotatesaid pinion, and an vactuator for said mechanism including a slidableplunger in axial alignment with said rod Ito engage said button at oneend thereof, and a cam follower secured 1,202,270 `Curry et al. Oct. 24,1916 to the other end, whereby said rod is depressed when 5 1,462,559Leschhorn July 24, 1923 said follower engages a cam. 2,634,971 SchweizerApr.` 14, 1953

